Chief Information Officer

Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services; Richmond (VA); On-site; USD 210,000 - 252,000; Full time

Job summary

The Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services (DBHDS) is seeking a strategic Chief Information Officer to lead IT operations, enterprise systems, and modernization efforts across the agency. You will partner with senior leaders to align technology investments with mission objectives and ensure secure, compliant, and efficient information systems.

You will oversee architecture, governance, and major IT initiatives, including data strategy and risk management, while directing a

Qualifications

• Experience in IT strategic planning for enterprise applications and systems.
• Knowledge of enterprise architecture, SDLC, and DevSecOps for modernization.
• Experience leading large, complex technology programs and defining performance measures.
• Experience developing enterprise technology strategies supporting priorities.
• Knowledge of multi-cloud, hybrid cloud, on-premises infrastructure, systems integration and governance.
• Experience collaborating with senior leaders to integrate information systems across diverse environments.
• Ability to translate regulatory requirements into effective technology solutions.
• Understanding of data strategy, governance, analytics, and enterprise data sharing approaches including privacy considerations.
• Experience identifying funding needs and prioritizing investments through governance structures.
• Experience managing IT procurements, contracts, and vendor services.
• Experience leading major IT projects, programs, and technical staff.
• Leadership in building high-performing teams; ability to manage multiple initiatives.

Responsibilities

• Provide executive leadership for IT operations and modernization initiatives.
• Guide enterprise architecture, system development, and governance for technology investments.
• Collaborate with CISO and leaders to ensure security, privacy, and compliance.
• Align technology strategy with agency priorities and funding constraints.
• Lead major IT projects and manage risk, vendors, and procurement.
• Communicate technology value and performance to executives and stakeholders.

Skills

IT strategy

Enterprise architecture

SDLC/DevSecOps

Program leadership

Multi-cloud environment

Data governance

Vendor management

Regulatory compliance

Executive communication

Risk management

Budgeting

Tools

Cloud platforms

Job description

Title: Chief Information Officer

State Role Title: Info Technology Manager III

Hiring Range: $210,000- $252,000

Pay Band: 8

Agency: Dept Behavioral Health/Develop

Location: Central Office

Agency Website: www.dbhds.virginia.gov

Recruitment Type: General Public – G

Job Duties

The Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services (DBHDS) is seeking an experienced, strategic, and results-driven technology executive to serve as the Department’s Chief Information Officer (CIO). The CIO provides executive leadership and strategic direction for DBHDS information technology operations, enterprise systems, technology investments, and modernization initiatives, as well as leading large and complex technology initiatives and providing direction and leadership to professional and technical teams. This position works closely with executive leadership and business areas across DBHDS to ensure technology solutions effectively support operational and programmatic needs; and collaboratively with the agency’s Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) and other risk, privacy, compliance, and technology leaders to ensure enterprise technology strategies, systems, infrastructure, and modernization initiatives align with applicable security, privacy, risk-management, and regulatory requirements. This position is responsible for developing and implementing an enterprise technology strategy that supports DBHDS programs, facilities, business operations, and the Department’s broader mission; identifying technology needs and priorities, aligning resources with agency strategic objectives, and working through agency governance structures to prioritize enterprise technology investments within available funding; and providing leadership for enterprise architecture, systems development and integration, technology governance, major IT projects, procurement, resource planning, and the effective use of technology across the agency.

Minimum Qualifications

• Experience in information technology strategic planning and developing policies, procedures, and strategies related to the development, integration and modernization of enterprise information technology applications and systems.
• Knowledge of enterprise architecture, project management, and the systems development life cycle (SDLC) and DevSecOps, including approaches for integrating and modernizing legacy systems alongside modern platforms.
• Experience leading large, complex technology programs and persistent product teams with accountability for delivery, adoption, and post-implementation value realization, including defining the performance measures and benefits-realization frameworks that communicate business and mission impact to executive audiences
• Experience developing and implementing enterprise technology strategies that support organizational priorities and complex business and operational requirements.
• Knowledge of enterprise technology environments, including multi-cloud, hybrid cloud, and on-premises infrastructure, enterprise applications, systems integration and interoperability, data architecture and governance, information management and exchange, networking, disaster recovery and business continuity, and emerging technologies.
• Experience working with senior executives and leaders from multiple business and program areas to integrate information systems and technology solutions that meet organizational needs with a mixed legacy and modern technology landscape.
• Ability to translate federal, state, agency, stakeholder, and regulatory requirements into effective technology systems, applications, and business processes.
• Understanding of enterprise reporting, data Lake/warehouse, analytics, and business intelligence capabilities, and the ability to set direction and governance for using data and information as an enterprise asset to drive decision-making and deliver business value, across both operational and analytical needs, and the ability to establish enterprise data strategy, governance, and interoperability standards that enable secure, privacy-preserving data sharing—including approaches such as data clean rooms and time-bound or temporal data‑sharing arrangements—across agencies and external partners in support of organizational priorities.
• Experience identifying technology funding needs and working within an enterprise governance structure to prioritize agencywide technology investments and projects.
• Experience managing IT procurements, contract negotiations, contract administration, vendors, and technology-related services.
• Experience managing large and complex IT projects, programs, and technical staff.
• Experience successfully managing organizational and technology risk and allocating resources in alignment with strategic priorities.
• Leadership experience in developing, motivating, and empowering high-performing professional and technical teams.
• Ability to organize, prioritize, and lead multiple significant initiatives simultaneously.
• Skilled in strategic thinking, critical thinking, problem-solving, and decision-making.
• Exceptional oral and written communication skills, including the ability to communicate complex technology issues effectively to executive leadership, business leaders, technical staff, and other stakeholders.
• Skilled in strategic planning, budgeting, governance, supervision, and resource management.
• Ability to collaborate with information security leadership to ensure enterprise technology architecture, systems, infrastructure, and investments appropriately incorporate applicable security, privacy, risk‑management, and regulatory requirements and to extend risk management practice to AI and analytical systems, including model risk, data provenance, and appropriate use of sensitive data.
• Commitment to customer service, organizational collaboration, accountability, and achieving results.
• Knowledge of workload placement, cloud cost management (FinOps), and portability/interoperability considerations across multiple cloud providers and data centers.
• Ability in enabling secure information management and data exchange across agencies and with external partners, including data‑sharing agreements, interoperability standards, master data management, and governance of cross‑agency data flows.
• Knowledge of responsible and ethical use of artificial intelligence, including AI governance, data privacy, bias mitigation, transparency, and applicable policy and regulatory requirements, and the ability to identify where AI and automation can appropriately advance the organization’s mission.

Additional Considerations

• Experience leading information technology within healthcare, behavioral health, human services, government, or other complex regulated environments.
• Experience supporting enterprise clinical, healthcare, or other mission‑critical information systems in a 24/7 operating environment.
• Experience with healthcare business concepts and technologies.
• Experience with enterprise systems integration and interoperability across complex organizational environments.
• Coursework, specialized training, or equivalent experience in business/systems analysis, systems design, development, or programming.
• Experience designing, developing, implementing, and maintaining complex enterprise information systems.
• Experience leading significant technology modernization, transformation, or enterprise systems implementation initiatives.
• Familiarity with tools and practices for managing, monitoring, and securing heterogeneous environments that combine legacy, on‑premises, and multi‑cloud technologies.
• Experience implementing cross‑agency information exchange and interoperability initiatives, including integration with statewide, federal, or partner systems and adherence to shared data standards.
• Experience strategic deployment of AI, machine learning, or intelligent automation solutions in a responsible manner to improve service delivery, operational efficiency, or decision‑making.

DBHDS welcomes all applicants authorized to work in the U.S. For more information on how to seek this authorization, please refer to Working in the United States or contact the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services office directly.

For any technical assistance with the jobs.virginia.gov website, please contact [e-mail].

Contact Information

Name: Keiana Bobbitt

Phone: N/A

Email: [e-mail] – Inquiries Only/No Submissions, to include resumes.

In support of the Commonwealth’s commitment to inclusion, we are encouraging individuals with disabilities to apply through the Commonwealth Alternative Hiring Process. To be considered for this opportunity, applicants will need to provide their AHP Letter (formerly COD) provided by the Department for Aging & Rehabilitative Services (DARS), or the Department for the Blind & Vision Impaired (DBVI). Service‑Connected Veterans are encouraged to answer Veteran status questions and submit their disability documentation, if applicable, to DARS/DBVI to get their AHP Letter. Requesting an AHP Letter can be found at AHP Letter or by calling DARS at 800-552-5019.

Note: Applicants who received a Certificate of Disability from DARS or DBVI dated between April 1, 2022- February 29, 2024, can still use that COD as applicable documentation for the Alternative Hiring Process.